How to Love
by StarfireFowl
Summary: Even though he learned much from his parents, the important things he learned from his teachers.  ShikamaruTemari  AsumaKurenai


A/N: Written as a gift to my boyfriend. Spoilers from part II of the series.

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"You're such an idiot," she whispers, her nose pressing against his and a smile on her face. He's grinning too, knowing that this insult is simply a joke. He doesn't say anything, but leans back away from her instead. She gets the picture. He's bored or _scared_ already.

In his fingers, he holds a cigarette, pulling it up to the very lips that had touched the blonde's only seconds before. He still comprehends his own stupidity. He thinks that's what Temari's doing as well, seeing how her cerulean eyes are off in the distance, eyeing the clouds they had been watching together.

"Honestly. Where did you learn to kiss? I bet Gaara could do better than that with Lee!" They both know she means none of it. He had caught her off guard with the kiss, using a tactic he had seen so many times before. Her insults are her way of covering up her pleasant surprise.

Shikamaru doesn't say anything again, but he just can't get the grin off of his face. She notices when she finally regains enough composure just to look him in the eyes. She grins back. The silence isn't even awkward. It's _nice_. He's the one that gives in and breaks it though.

"I learned from Asuma and Kurenai."

Temari interprets it wrong and gives him a quizzical look, but he gives a dry chuckle and breathes in the smoke from his cigarette.

"I learned love from Asuma and Kurenai. My parents could only teach me tolerance. They were still together, even though they fell out of love years ago, so from them I understand failure and compromise."

Temari snickers. "You don't fail. _You_ give up." The words surprisingly comfort him, but he feels the need to continue so the girl he's considering _not_ giving up will understand his mind a little better.

"I first caught Asuma on my way to the Academy. I was maybe eight or nine, and I look over and he's got both arms around her waist and she's not even facing him. She leans back though, and she kissed him and I just couldn't get over how the man I looked up to most was breaking the number one rule of the ninja."

Temari comments again. "And they got away with it?"

"Yes. I started watching them more closely when they were in public and began to notice that they'd always find some way to be together. If things were difficult, she'd have a hand on his shoulder. If he needed help, she was the first assigned and the first to volunteer. It was just so obvious at that point.

"I ended up asking him about his relationship not long after. He explained to me that love was just too strong sometimes. It takes over all rational thinking and makes you abandon things you thought you had believed. He said he was glad that I saw them together and hoped that one day I could be able to balance love and work just like him."

Temari was rendered speechless with that. Her mouth is open a little; her eyes are filled with curiosity and are focused directly on him. He finally puts out the cigarette, a small grin tugging on his face. It's a sad grin though, a reminiscing one.

"You're lucky to have had an example like that. I had my brothers, and well, Gaara and Kankuro don't know much on love either." Temari sounds like she's about to hurt someone with her sharp words, but her hand slowly finds its way to Shikamaru, pulling him gently to be closer to her beside the tree.

"I can imagine that." He chuckles. "I only ever saw them like that once more. They were on the outskirts of the forest surrounding the village, sitting together. She had been laughing about something when Asuma just kissed her in the middle of her laughter…"

She won't let him finish. "So that's where you got that from. I thought you were attacking me for a few seconds."

"I'd met you at this point. Still thought you were incredibly troublesome, but I also thought that I wouldn't mind being like Asuma if you'd be like Kurenai." He smiles while a scowl creeps on her lips.

"Don't go dying like Asuma. I don't think I could cope as well as she's done." She smiles then, knowing that he knows that this affection is returned. Asuma had been right. There had been a hope of him finding a balance, and he has.

"No, I imagine you wouldn't. You'd probably take out the whole village single-handedly."

She grins. "Yes, I would."

So when she kisses him again, they're both smiling. He even dares to slide his hands around her waist while hers are playing in his hair. Regardless of his happiness, he's also wondering where Temari had learned how to kiss like this, but knows the answer would be one he'd rather not hear. He's the one who stops the kiss, finding the balance.

Temari smiles and whispers into his ear. "They taught you well."

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A/N 2: Reviews are lovely, constructive criticism is even better, but flames are not welcome. 


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